Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Goldfinches are one of the latest nesters of the breeding season. They wait until the natural thistle weeds are ripe with silky down that the finches use to line the interior of their nest. This is a wonderful time to attract them using their favorite Nyjer Seed in your feeders. After nesting the beautiful bright yellow breeding plumage that they sport all summer will soon fade into their dull drab winter coloration as they begin their fall molt.

If you haven’t been attracting goldfinches to you feeder or their activity has been sporatic, you should clean your feeder and replace your nyjer. Clean your feeders using a 10% bleech and water solution. It is helpful to loosen up that crusty old seed with a long handled tube feeder brush. We have these available in the store. Finally, let your feeder thoroughly dry in the sun before filling.

The oils in Nyjer seed begins to dry out after extended storage (6+ months plus). Test the freshness by placing a pinch of nyjer on a piece of white paper. Crush the seeds with the backside of a spoon. The paper should have oil spots that appear to be “wet” if the seed is good and fresh. Don’t miss out on their last big show and help them with their nesting duties with a fresh supply of Nyjer Seed.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

For any of you who did not succeed in attracting hummingbirds to your feeders this spring, now becomes another excellent opportunity to try again. The hummingbirds are more plentiful after their nesting, and they and their youngsters will now begin the annual ritual of gaining weight in preparation for migration this fall, where they expend huge amounts of energy during their long flight.

The best method to attract hummingbirds is to provide a hummingbird feeder filled with a sugar-water solution. Use one part table sugar and four parts water. Hummingbirds are bold little creatures, so don’t be shy about hanging the feeder close by where you can see it. Remember to clean your feeder every two to three days. In the heat the sweet sugar water sours as it begins to ferment.

You can put up a hummingbird feeder anytime during the summer and still attract hummingbirds. Add a mister to your birdbath to watch hummingbirds dart back and forth through the stream of mist to bathe or to take a drink. Hummingbirds are attracted to a wide variety of flowers. Here are a few favorites: Beebalm, Beard Tongue, Columbine, Cardinal Flower, Fuchsia, Coralbells, Petunia, Butterfly Bush Delphinium.

Monday, July 28, 2008

"Now Every Tree Is A Bird Feeder!"No other bird food attracts the variety and even birds that typically do not come to a feeder!

How to Apply Bark Butter:Bark Butter can be applied directly to treebark, tree branches, etc., or you canchoose one or more of the Bark Butterfeeders. We suggest using the back of a fork forapplying the Bark Butter. Spread the BarkButter onto the tree or feeder. Whilespreading, make grooves like on peanutbutter cookies. This makes it easier for thebirds to grab a small chunk of the barkbutter.We have a wonderful website for of great bird watching information, links to other birding sites, bird puzzles, RightBird Identification Tool, our online Nature Store catalog, and much, much, more. Check out our great website at http://www.wbufortwayne.com/

Bark Butter is an entirely new class of birdfood and there is no otherproduct available that is marketed for the same use as Bark Butter.Jim’s Birdacious Bark Butter is eaten by more species of birds than any other single bird food available on the market!

Bark Butter was developed from Jim Carpenter, founder of the Wild Birds Unlimited franchise, from a recipe for “spreadable suet” that combines peanut butter, suet and corn in a unique way. Jim has mixed his own secret recipe for Bark Butter in his kitchen for 20 years originally to attract Brown Creepers but found with nationwide trials that it attracts over 50 species of birds.

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About Me

As the Owner of the Wild Birds Unlimited store in Fort Wayne, Indiana for over 24 years, I have a real passion for backyard bird watching, and helping others to learn about the hobby, and making sure that they are equiped with the correct bird feeders and bird foods to attract the birds they are interested in. My dog, Pepper, also likes to watch birds, squirrels, chipmunks and rabbits.